Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *kap- Proto-Indo-European *káput Proto-Italic *kaput Latin caput Vulgar Latin capus Old Italian capo Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰḗrder. Latin ērīcius Old Italian riccio Old Italian caporiccio Italian capricciobor. French capricebor. English caprice Borrowed from French caprice, from Italian capriccio, from caporiccio (“fright, sudden start”). Doublet of capriccio.